The present invention relates to a system for bulk warehousing and inventorying of products, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for displaying information identifying the specific type and location of products stored on a storage, or pallet, rack so that products can be accurately loaded onto, and/or removed from, the rack.
Typically, numerous rows of vertically-extending pallet racks are arranged within a warehouse with aisles running adjacent the open front of each rack to afford access by fork-lift trucks or like material handling vehicles to the multi-tiered storage bays of the racks. Each pallet rack generally includes a plurality of horizontally-spaced vertical columns that support beams spanning lengthwise between the columns. The beams support shelves on which cartons of products are stored. Typically, the vertical tiers of storage bays extend well above the floor of the warehouse.
It is conventional practice to place labels, or label holders, on or adjacent beams directly above, or below, each shelf location to identify the specific product stored at that location on the rack. An example of such an arrangement and a holder for a label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,441 issued to Fast. Other examples of pallet rack labeling systems are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,655,675, 5,526,945, 5,492,231, 5,368,174 and 5,749,482 issued to Clark et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,711 B1 issued to Skulnik et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,249 issued to Lascara; U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,941 issued to Reilley et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,697 issued to Ferchat et al.
As discussed in the above referenced Clark patents, the labels typically include machine readable indicia such as bar-codes, human-readable indicia such as alpha-numeric characters, or preferably both. An electronic bar-code reading wand can be used for reading the labels and for inventory management purposes. However, reading labels located directly above or below products on shelves can be difficult for an operator of a fork lift truck or like vehicle, particularly if the labels are located at high or low elevations relative to the operator. A bar-code reader functions properly only if the face of the label is perpendicular relative to the line of sight of the bar-code reader so that the beam emitted by the reader is reflected from the label along the line of sight back to the reader. In addition, the line of sight to the label must not be obscured by the protective roof of the fork-lift truck, the stored products, the adjacent shelves, as well as the light emitted by the overhead warehouse lighting.
Although the aforementioned pallet rack labeling and inventory management systems may function in a satisfactory manner for their intended purposes, there is a need for a system that enables the ready reading of labels, such as bar code labels, by operators of fork-lift trucks or like vehicles used in warehouses. All labels should be capable of being read by conventional hand-held bar-code scanners or the like regardless of the elevation of the location of the products in the rack. In addition, the function of applying and/or reapplying labels on pallet racks should be capable of being safely accomplished with minimal effort and time.